


The Cat Came Back

by Gategrrl



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-09-07
Updated: 2004-09-07
Packaged: 2018-10-06 13:48:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10335995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gategrrl/pseuds/Gategrrl
Summary: SPOILERS : Meridian/Abyss/Fallen/Fragile Balance; Prequel to Ninja Avenger and There Are Places I RememberSUMMARY : Jack walks into his favorite coffee house and gets a big surprise: Assumes Fragile Balance happened in season 6, after Abyss but before Fallen.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Yuma, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [Stargatefan.com](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Stargatefan.com). To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [StargateFan Archive Collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/StargateFan_Archive_Collection).

Stargate SG-1 Fanfiction - The Cat Came Back

##  The Cat Came Back

##### Written by Gategrrl   
Comments? Write to us at [gategrrl2003@yahoo.com](http://astele.co.uk/StargateFan/Chapter/Details/gategrrl2003@yahoo.com)

  * SPOILERS : Meridian/Abyss/Fallen/Fragile Balance; Prequel to Ninja Avenger and There Are Places I Remember 
  * SUMMARY : Jack walks into his favorite coffee house and gets a big surprise: Assumes Fragile Balance happened in season 6, after Abyss but before Fallen. 
  * G [AU] 



* * *

The odor of coffee permeated the cushions of the overstuffed chair he   
slouched in. It added to the cocooning sensation. The brown liquid   
in his cup warmed his hands from the winter chill, and the soft   
murmurs of conversations around him lulled him into a half-doze.   
Being here helped wash away the layers of clouded emptiness in his   
mind to the elusive memories lying beneath. So many memories   
connected with this smell, this chair, that barista, this place.

A small band of boisterous high school kids charging through the doorway distracted him from his meditation. The young barista behind the counter expertly controlled the crowd with humor and fast order- taking. In no time, the gang of boys headed out. One of them stopped cold in his tracks in front of him while the others stomped out. 

"Hey, man, y'comin'? We're gonna miss the movie." One of the boys called from outside. White clouds blew out of his nose and mouth. 

"No, you guys go on. I'll catch ya later." 

The other boys jostled and laughed their way out of the coffee house and down the street, leaving a quiet void behind them. 

Eyes closed again, he took a deep breath and tried easing back into a relaxed state. 

"Daniel? Daniel, is that you?" 

Daniel's eyes half-opened. A lanky high school boy stood in front of him, his brown eyes wide and his mouth hanging open. Staring at him. Daniel searched through his spotty memory, but came back empty. How would he know a teenage boy anyway? 

"Uh, do I know you?" he asked. Moments passed before the boy shook his head, as if to wake up. 

"Yes and no." The boy slung his pack off his shoulder and pointed at the overstuffed chair next to Daniel. "Mind?" 

Daniel shrugged. "Go ahead." 

The boy plopped into the chair next to Daniel, sinking into the cushions. He wasn't staring anymore, which was good. "You are Dr. Daniel Jackson, right? I'm not imagining this." 

Daniel hesitated. "It would help if you told me your name. It might help me remember." 

"D'oh!" The boy smacked himself on the side of the head. "They didn't tell you about me, did they?" 

"Who?" 

"Carter. Teal'c. Jonas. General Hammond. The Colonel? O'Neill? None of them happened to mention me?" 

Daniel frowned. "Nooo. Who are you?" 

The teenager glowered. "Jeez. Okay. I am Jack O'Neill. Or I was." 

Daniel's eyebrows shot up over the top rim of his glasses. He drank a long draft from his coffee cup, stalling for a moment in order to compose himself. It was that or laugh. 

"I AM," the teen insisted in a low voice. "Some jackassgaurd cloned me thinking my genes held the answer to their reproductive problems. Thor had to come and straighten out Loki's skinny gray ass." There was silence for a moment. 

"I guess I haven't read that mission report yet," Daniel muttered. He knew he shouldn't be surprised by anything that happened at the SGC anymore, but this weirdness hit home. This was/wasn't Jack. 

"If you don't believe me, ask me something. Anything. No, wait." Jack leaned forward and kept his voice low. The barista shot a concerned glance in their direction. He smiled at her and gave a little wave. Her eyes narrowed for a moment - and then a customer distracted her. "The day you Ascended, you asked me to make Jacob Carter and Selmac stop the healing process with that healing stone thingy. You died and turned into this glowy energy thing." He sat back and waited. 

"I remember that." It was one of his more painfully clear memories. Damn, that radiation sickness hurt more than getting his head ribboned. Hurt more than anything else he could think of. 

"Daniel. What happened? You're back. When'd you get back? Hey -- " He poked Daniel on the arm. 

"So. You're Jack. Junior?" 

Jack grimaced. "Not Junior. Tell me what happened!" 

"Uh, I woke up on a planet without any memories. A nomadic tribe found me. I stayed with them for a couple of months before the SGC found me. I've been back here for almost six weeks." 

"But how? Why? And no memories?" 

"I don't know. But it's coming back." Daniel studied the younger Jack with care. It was weird being older than his friend. Especially when he'd left the older Jack in the mountain not two hours ago. 

"D'you remember her?" Jack pointed to the barista behind the counter. 

"Jean. Yeah. Some things come back more easily than others. That's why I'm in the coffee shop." 

Jack shook his head. "You and coffee. How much of your memory is back?" 

"I remember Sha're. And Sarah. Some events. The mission reports and my journals are helping me fill in the blanks." Daniel rubbed his temple in a futile attempt to recall more memories faster. 

"Not easy having a Swiss cheese memory, is it?" Jack said sympathetically, sounding way too adult for such a young looking person. The contrast was a little disturbing and unexpected, Daniel thought, but it was definitely all Jack inside that young body. 

"What's it like being a kid?" Lots of practice deflecting Jack came into good use. Nice that the young version still had that unique? ness that was Jack O'Neill. 

"It's...okay," he said. He shifted in his chair. "Bites that I can't drive, have a beer, tell other people what to do, date women my own mental age now that I've got the time. No cracks about that, please. Colonel set aside some money for me though. He didn't need to. That was nice. Jeez, Daniel, I can't believe you're back. And I wanted to thank you, too." 

"For what?" 

Jack leaned back in his chair. Daniel noted he hadn't touched his coffee. "You did the guardian angel thing." 

"I did?" 

"Yeah. When Ba'al kept killing me over and over. You showed up, kept my hopes up. You offered to Ascend me." 

"I don't remember that." 

"It won't be in the report," Jack said. "Colonel didn't want psych to jump all over him. Bad enough I died more times than the cat came back." 

Daniel nodded. He did remember the time they'd thought he was schizophrenic, damn Machello and the psychiatric community. That was not a good memory. And this time here in the coffee house was for trying to remember the good ones. If he could. His unease must have shown, because Jack fumbled in his pack for a moment, and then scribbled on a notepad. He ripped the paper off and handed it to Daniel. "Look, I'm trying to stay away, make a new life and all that. But please, can we -" 

"-Keep in touch?" Daniel smiled. He took the paper and folded it into a pocket. "Of course. I can always help you out with language studies, when I'm around. Or to talk. I'd give you my number, but I'm still looking for a place." 

Young Jack grinned back. " 's'kay. I'll be able to find you."He stayed for a moment and gulped his drink. He gave Daniel a crooked smile and a casual wave. "Good luck. Be seeing ya around." The door closed behind the young Jack, letting cold air and a few errant snowflakes puff into the coffee house. 

His mind too busy now to reflect and remember, Daniel contented himself with watching swirling flakes of snow outside. Maybe he'd have a vivid dream tonight, and remember more. In the meantime, more coffee.

**The End**

  


* * *

> July 17, 2004 Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own these guys (tho it would be fun!).  
>  Instead, MGM, Bridge and Gekko own these characters and make all the  
>  money off of 'em. Me, I'm just a poor slob who like to take 'em out  
>  and play once in a while.

* * *

  



End file.
